Bobbin tip support means for weft replenishing looms



R. G. TURNER BOBBIN TIP SUPPORT MEANS FOR Jun' 28, 1949.

WEFT REPLENISHING LQOMS Filed July 28, 1948'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL WIIIIAIIl/A INVENTOR RICHARD s.TURNER O m/ W ATTORNEY Patented June 28, 1949 BOBBIN TIP SUPPORT MEANSFOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass, assignorto Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application July 28, 1948, Serial No. 41,037

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms and itis the general object of the invention to provide improved support meansfor the bobbin tips of reserve bobbins constructed. in such manner as toavoid abrasion of the Weft ends of the bobbing during weft replenishingoperations.

In weft replenishing looms more particularly of the multicolor type itis customary for bobbins to move down guideways by gravity towardtransfer position. The weft ends of the bobbins lead to some form ofthread holder and are likely to be pinched between the bobbin tip andthe support means for the latter when the bobbin is being pushed out ofthe reserve bobbin magazine into a depleted shuttle. When particularlyfine yarns are used the abrasion may be sufiicient to cause breakagewith resultant non-threading of the shuttle and loom stoppage.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide roll meansfor supporting both sides of a bobbin tip and mount one of the rollmeans so that it can move away from the other to permit passage betweenthem of the bobbin tip.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a roll made ofdeformable material softer than the bobbin tip into which the fine weftthread can be embedded without serious damage thereto as the bobbinmoves between its supports.

In weft replenishing mechanisms of the type to which the invention moreparticularly relates it is frequently desirable to use either right handor left hand wound bobbins in either of the stacks of reserve bobbins.As heretofore made the yielding bobbin support of a given stack has beenfavorable for use of one or the other of these winds, but not both. Itis a further object of the invention to provide the magazine with asupporting roll for each side of a bobbin tip so that either right orleft hand wound bobbins can be used in either stack.

With these and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described.

, In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of theinvention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is afront elevation of a weft replenishing mechanism having thepresent invention applied thereto, parts being in cross section,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the outer plate of the magazinelooking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, and showing the bobbin tipsand part hi the magazine in cross section,

7 Claims. (01. 139-247) 5 two guideways for the tips of the bobbins.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 3-3, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on line 4-4, Fig. 3, showing oneof the pairs of bobbin supporting rolls, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view looking in the direction of arrow 5,Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the reserve bobbin magazine M may besupported by means of a stationary pivot stud I and has inner and outerend plates ii and I2, respectively. The magazine will support two groupsor stacks of reserve bobbins which feed by gravity to transferpositions. The inner plate has provision for guiding the butts l3 of thereserve bobbins in the magazine, only one bobbin B with its weft W beingshown in Fig. 1. The magazine rocks about the stud ID by mechanism notshown herein but well understood so that the lowest bobbin in each stackcan be in transfer position under a transferrer arm M.

The outer plate 52 of the magazine is supported by tie rods l derivingtheir support from the inner plate ll. The outer plate comprises a flatwall it from which project four flanges to define Two of these flanges,H and I8, are spaced to define a groove H) for the tips of the frontstack of bobbins, while the other two spaced flanges and 2| define agroove or guideway 22 for the tips of the rear stack of bobbins.

The front of the plate i2 is provided with a guide wire 25 which extendsdownwardly at an angle to the plate as shown in Fig. 1 and has a lowerthread guiding end 26 which is bent upwardly and then inserted into theweb 16. In similar manner, a rear wire 21 has its lower yarn guiding end28 bent upwardly and inserted into web E6. The latter is provided alongthe bottom thereof with a smooth weft engaging edge 30.

Plate I6 supports a pivot stud on which is mounted for angular movementfront and back bobbin tip supports 36 and 31, respectively. Support 36has its upper end provided with a stop screw 38 held against flange 20by a small tension spring 39 the upper end of which is held by a clip 40stationary 0n the magazine. In similar manner, the upper end of the rearbobbin support 31, is provided with a stop screw 41 held against flangeit by a light tension spring 42 connected to a second clip 43.

Except for the bottom ends of the guideway forming flanges I1 and 2|,and the lower parts of the bobbin supports 36 and 31, the matter thusfar described may be of common construction and operate in the usualmanner. a l

In carrying the invention into effect provision is made for permittingthe lowest bobbin tip of each stack of bobbins to rest on two rolls oneof which preferably has its axis fixed with respect to the magazine andthe other of which is rotatably mounted on a bobbin support.

Referring particularly to Fig. Bathe front bobbin support 36 carries astud 50 on which is rota tably mounted a roll 5| made preferably of acompressible material softer than the tip of the bdb y bin, such as hardpressed felt... Web lfihas secured thereto a stud 52 on which isrotatablymounted a roll 53 similar to roll 5|. A sleeve 54 between theweb l6 and the roll 53 :keepsthealatterspaced from the web and insubstantiall efilignm nt with roll 5|. The tip of the bottom fron t'btibbiii is shown in section at 55 and I BStiSwOn t'hQI'QH S 5| and 53.The rear support 31 carries a stud "60 which supports a roll 6| forrotation, amistuiis-tz secured to the web l6..has rotatable thereon afourth roll '63 spaced from the :web :16 by 1a sleeve or collar 64. Thetip 68 of the rear bottom'ibobbin rests on rolls '6 l and :63.

i I h'e rolls'5'l, 53-, '61 and 63 =are preferabl y-all alike and of thesame size #andniadeof aw-oomipressible material soiter -than'the tips oi'the bobbins, such as rubber or fibrous pressed--felt. EachJrol-l has abore'65 toreceive the corresponding stud, and this bore is:=hardened byhav ing'the felt orwsimilar fibrous niat'eri'a lciimpregnated by somematerial, 511011135 a plastic; whichwill provide 'a relativelyhard-inner shell-r65 to serve as a=bearing for engagernentwith thecorresponding stud. "The shelh'fiii is confinedwto the central @parts ofthe roll and vdoinot:extend-torthe bobbin engaging periphery '6 Ofdt'he:roll. w'llhe rolls are arranged in pairs, rolls-5lrand 53ibeingwthe'iront pair for the firont stack -or .guideways I5, while theother-rolls 'G IE and-63 -:form the rearpair for gnideway 22. :One rollof each pain-rotates about a fixed axis and the other rollmof each pairis mounted 'on a bobbin supportrca-pable-of yielding against springaction; as will be apparent from Fig. 2. The lower ends of theoutsidelfianges +1Liand 2! --are somewhat shorter thansin previous-reserv'e "bobbin magazines of a the-' .generaL :type shown "herein inorder ,tomake room for: the iron't anol back 'rolls 53' :and-63.

' When reserve bobbins: are placed in the-lmagazine their weft endsaredrawrr off to the- -right @of :plate l2 as viewed in Eig. :1 and-attaohed to some form of thread holder which is not shown herein. This'threadholder may hold the w'weft -ends. taut so that they extendfrom-theirlbobbins "around their respective wires" -and:-2 |.-.and.thenoutwardly away from the magazine towardwthe right, Fig. '1. As thebobbins descend in' their stacks and approach their-respective transferpositions the weft ends I may become -slaok enough "to slip off thelower ends 26: and-=28of'theguide wires 25 and 2 1,111 which event theweft-ends will extend from "the bo'bb'in tips :down along-one or 1 theother ofthe associated supporting :rolls,-and

tip 55 should become dislodged-fromguide-wire-25 :it-will extend downbetween tip=55 and one-ora the -other-ofthe=rolls 5| or 53,-andthen-around the guide edge 30. At transfer this threadhnay ibe subjectedto some pressure, (and if it is it will :be

embedded into one-of=therolls supponting tip 55 and not be abraded orsubjected to any crushing action which would otherwise weaken it.Similarly, a weft end extending from the bottomtip 68 may extend alongone or the other of the rolls of the rear pair and be embedded into itwithout being damaged.

' the; past -I havenprornzased. that: rolls be mounted on (the bottomsof the support arms for the bobbin tips, such as those shown herein 'at.86 and 31, but such rolls were metallic and were ..harder.thanthebobbintips and although they ialled oriturne'd'ontheir axes to prevent ascraping or abrading action on the yarn the latter nev- -er.t-lma'lesswas -subjected to some compression.

' Such -rollsfaverephown for instance in my prior When mollsare used onthe bobbin supports only some di'fiiculty may arise due to the directionermine 'Yof the weft on the bobbins. If, for instance, the bottom frontbobbin is wound in asueh: manner athatv :its weft end F rrleads:idnwnlwardlydromwthe lleftr side. of. thejtip 55 it -will then-engageroll '5! and ebesparedany appreciable #deterior ation growingaout oftrans-fer of thevbob- :bin. 11, on t'hewether --hand,-the :wefti is;--opp0- .sitel-y wound it will..-leaddown between: the :bob-

bin tip and the roll 53 and will similarly-be spared an-y damaging.compression or: distortion of its filaments, .eAs-set forth. inmyz-prior .patent a bobbinwound the manner. last adescribed wouldberequired to move-along theflange al 'l,

but asset iorth-nhereinuth-is flanges-has "been shortened to .make..room ifior .roll l53. .The. .;bot-- -tom bobbin of. the frontsstack cantherefore mbe wound. either -rightflhand orJleft ihand andits weft willbe equally protected byone or the-other bobbin can be wound "eitherright or left hand,

andthis :is true .for-the ibo'bbins oflboth stacks. :From. the.lfloregoing v it will b'e. seen 'thatBthe invention sets forth simplemeans lby w'hic'h .delil'cate weft ,yarns may be protected during a bob-'"bin' transferring..o'perationpthe means compris- 'ing a pair of'roll'slfor each-'bobbinjtip, each-roll being free 'to' rotate .on' 'itsaxis fin..response'to "frictional co'ntactwit'h the bobbin tip,an'd'being preferably so constructed that the weft ,yarn can 'beembedded into it it it caught "betweenfthe bobbin tip 'andtthe run; "Itwill also baseen that "the magazine can. operate with bobbins of neitherright hand orleft ha'nd'iiwind; in' either the front parentfr'oni Fig."2. "Vl/"hil'e-two rolls have been provided for each bdbbintip--trans'fer-' posit iomthe invention is not necessaz ily liinited tothis rarran'gementysince tnenrelat'ivelyiso'ft :rc'om- 3 6 and-311.;respectively; have advantagesv inde pendent of the .lrollss53 and63-, theseadvantages growing out ofthe ---fact that the rolls (on thez-sup- 1301135 are made: of a. oompressibleofibrous mate- -:rial softenoughstoihavefidelioatexyarns embedded 5 into them by a bobbin. tipfltinea-repmriishing operation. Also, the rolls may if desired have theirbores 65 hardened by treatment with or application of an appropriatematerial, such as a plastic, applied either in fluid form and dryinglater, or applied by heat. In either event the roll has an inner shellwhich resists wearing when turning on its associated stud, but thisshell does not extend to the periphery of the roll and the latterremains soft and possessed of the advantages already mentioned.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications of the foregoin specific disclosure may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In. a weft replenishing mechanism provided with a stack of bobbinswhich move down a guide-- way by gravity toward transfer position, aresiliently mounted bobbin tip support, a roll rotatably mounted on saidsupport near the bottom of said guideway, and a second roll spaced fromthe first roll and rotatably mounted on the mechanism near the bottom ofsaid guideway, the tip of the bottom bobbin of the stack resting on saidrolls, the weft end of the bottom bobbin passing between said tip andone or the other of said rolls, and the latter being rotated by said tipat the time of bobbin transfer to prevent abrasion of said weft end.

2. In a weft replenishing mechanism having a stack of bobbins which moveby gravity down a guideway toward transfer position, a pair of rollslocated at the lower end of the guideway, means mountin one of saidrolls for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to the mechanism,and a resiliently mounted bobbin tip support pivoted with respect to themechanism and having the other roll rotatably mounted thereon, saidrolls supporting the tip of the lowest bobbin in the stack and the weftend of the bobbin, depending upon the direction of Wind of the weft onthe bobbin, passing between said tip and one or the other of said rolls,said rolls being rotated by a bobbin being transferred to preventabrasion of the weft end regardless of which roll engages said Weft end.

i 3. In a weft replenishing mechanism having a stack of bobbins whichmove down a guideway by gravity toward a transfer position, a rollrotatably mounted on the mechanism near the bottom of said guideway forengagement with one side of the tip of the lowest bobbin in the stack, asecond roll near the bottom of said guideway located for engagement withthe other side of the tip of the lowest bobbin in the stack, the weftend of the bobbin engaging one or the other of said rolls, dependingupon the direction in which the weft is wound on the bobbin, and aresiliently mounted support for the second roll, said rolls normallysupporting the bobbin but said second roll due to the resilient mountingthereof moving away from the first roll when the bobbin is transferredand said rolls rotating to prevent abrasion of the weft end.

4. In a weft replenishing mechanism provided with a stack of bobbinswhich move down a guideway by gravity to a transfer position, a pair ofrolls located at the bottom of the guideway, each roll being made offibrous material softer than the tip of the lowest bobbin in the stack,means mounting one of said rolls for rotation about an axis fixed withrespect to the mechanism, and resiliently mounted means on which theother roll is rotatably supported, said resilient means normally holdingsaid other roll stationary relatively to said one roll but being movablein a direction away from said one roll, said rolls normally positionedto support the tip of the lowest bobbin in the stack and the weft end ofsaid lowest bobbin passing between the tip thereof and one of saidrolls, said bobbin when transferred causing rotation of said rolls andembedment of said weft end into the roll engaging the same to abrasionof the weft end.

5. In a weft replenishing mechanism having a stack of bobbins which movedown a guideway by gravity toward a transfer position, a pair of spacedrolls located at the bottom of the guideway and positioned normally tosupport the tip of the lowest bobbin in the stack, one of said rollsbeing rotatably mounted with respect to the mechanism and engaging oneside of said tip, and resiliently mounted support means on the mechanismsupporting the other roll for rotation thereon and holding said otherroll in position to engage the other side of said tip, said rolls beingmade of pressed felt softer than the said tip, the weft end of thelowest bobbin in the stack passing between said tip and one of saidrolls, depending upon the direction of wind of weft on the bobbin, andbeing embedded into the roll engaged therewith to prevent abrasion ofthe weft end when the lowest bobbin in the stack is transferred.

6. A bobbin tip support for a weft replenishing mechanism, said supporthaving provision for pivotal mounting on the mechanism and having a studthereon on which is rotatably mounted a bobbin engaging roll made of afibrous compressible material, said roll having a bore the surface ofwhich is impregnated with a material harder than the roll and forming ashell to engage the stud but spaced from the periphery of the roll.

7. A bobbin tip support for a weft replenishing mechanism, said supporthaving provision for pivotal mounting on the mechanism and having a studthereon on which is rotatably mounted a bobbin engaging roll made of ahard pressed fibrous compressible material, said roll having a bore thesurface of which is impregnated with a plastic compound harder than theroll to provide a bearing for engagement with said stud, said materialforming a, shell which is spaced from the bobbin engagin periphery ofthe roll.

RICHARD G. TURNER.

prevent REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in thefile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 591,998 Burton Oct. 19, 18972,116,159 Rogers May 3, 1938 2,418,079 Leake Mar. 25, 1947

